Locking ring construction



Aug. 2, 1955 R. c. CARLSON 2,714,469

LOCKING RING CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 24, 1954 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig/ 147 1A iffhm Arrozusys.

2, 1955 R. c. CARLSON 2,714,469

LOCKING RING CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A T TOR/V5 Y5 United States Patent LOCKING RING CONSTRUCTION Robert C. Carlson, Mariemont, Ohio, assignor to Emery Carpenter Container Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 24, 1954, Serial No. 470,982 6 Claims. (Cl. 220-55) This invention relates to shipping drums and particularly to shipping drums of the type in which a locking ring is employed to close and seal the lid or head of the drum.

In the conventional construction, the open end of the drum is configurated to provide a seat for a disk-like lid. The locking ring usually comprises a band of metal which is configurated to embrace the rim of the container and the marginal edge of the lid. The ring is split and some arrangement such as a swinging lever is provided to construct the ring. In most instances, the locking lever is arranged so that it swings in the plane of the ring to and from its locked position. In other types of construction the lever is arranged to swing in a plane at 90 to the plane of the ring. However, in every locking ring construction of which I have knowledge the locking lever, when in the locked position, is disposed to the outside of the ring where it is apt to be inadvertently opened or damaged during the handling of the drum.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a locking ring construction in which the locking lever is adapted to be swung into a recessed, hidden position between the ring and the drum for locking purposes. Thus disposed, it is virtually impossible for the lever to be damaged or inadvertently unlocked.

Other objectives and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view showing a drum and end closure elements constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view shoring the upper part of the drum with the end closure ele ents in place and locked.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the outside of the locking ring in locked condition.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the inside of the locking ring in locked condition.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 in which the ring is in unlocked condition.

The locking ring construction of the present invention is adapted for use in conjunction with drums which may be made of wood, metal and other materials including fiber. For the purposes of this disclosure, it is shown with a drum made of fiber of the type used for shipping and storing liquid and semi-liquid substances. The drum itself, which is designated 10 in the drawings, is cylindrical and may have a conventional bottom closure 11. The upper rim portion of the drum is reinforced by a band 12 which may be made of fiber and which extends substantially all of the way around the rim leaving a portion thereof, indicated at 13, in which the band is broken. In the closed drum this provides a recess, the purpose of which will be set forth below.

into or past the position shown in V the locking lever A disk-like lid or head 14 is employed to close the upper end of the drum. This lid may be made of wood, metal or fiber as desired. The lid has a rim flange 15 thereon which overhangs the outer marginal edge of the lid to provide a peripheral seat 16 on the underside thereof. This seat is adapted to engage the rim of the container as shown in Figure 3. The lid may also have a handle, such as the ring 17, secured thereto to facilitate removing. the lid from the drum. Following conventional practice, a disk of liquid-proof paper 18 may be interposed between the lid and the contents of the drum when the lid is closed. The paper disk is substantially larger in diameter than the container so that the outer marginal edge thereof overhangs the reinforcing band 12.

The locking ring of this invention is designated 19 in the drawings. It is formed of sheet metal which is substantially U-shaped in cross-section, including a vertical web portion 20, an upper flange 21 which is turned over at right angles to the web portion, and a lower flange 22 which is turned over so that it makes an internal angle with web 20 which is slightly greater than The reason for this angle will be explained later. The ring is substantially circular as viewed from above, however, the ends overlap slightly. One end which is designated 23 resides to the outside of the other end, designated 24. The inner face of the end 23 of the ring has a short link 25 which is pivotally secured thereto by means such as a rivet 26. The inner face of the end 24 of the ring has a locking lever 27 pivotally secured to it by means such as a rivet 28. The locking lever includes a substantially straight shank portion 29 and a tab portion 30 which may extend from the shank portion at 90 as shown. The shank portion of the locking lever is pivotally secured to the link 25 by means of a rivet 31. As will be seen from a comparison of Figures 5 and 6, link 25 is joined to the shank of the locking lever in such a way that the two ends of the split ring are drawn over one another, to reduce the diameter of the ring, when the locking lever is swung in a direction to place its pivotal connection (the rivet 28) between the two pivotal connections of link 25 (the two rivets 26 and 31). It will be noted further that when the locking lever is swung up into the locked position shown in Figure 5 the centers of the three pivots are misaligned in an over-center relationship which is a stable one.

The lower flange 22 is cut away in both of the end portions 23 and 24 of the ring to accommodate the link 25 and the lever 27. In addition, the outer end portion of the upper flange 21 is cut away in the end portion 23 of the ring which overlaps end 24.

To install the ring the locking lever is swung down Figure 6 to increase the diameter of the ring sufliciently to permit the ring to be engaged over the band 12 on the rim of the container. In this position, the upper flange 21 rests on the annular flange 15 which is on the lid. The lower,

angulated flange 22 engages underneath the lower, outer edge of the reinforcing band 12. It will be seen, therefore, that when the locking ring is tightened, the angulated flange 22 will wedge the whole ring downwardly to pull the lid tightly onto the rim of the container.

The locking ring is placed on the container so that is at the space provided by the break 13 in the reinforcing band 12. The band and the wall of the container at this point provide a recess into which the locking lever may be moved when the lever is swung up to reduce the diameter of the locking ring.

To facilitate locating the lever at this point, means such as the centering dimple 32 may be provided, this dimple being struck inwardly from the band at a point diametrically opposite to the locking lever. The dimple is arranged to engage in a niche 33 stamped or otherwise formed in the reinforcing band 12 at a point opposite the break in the band. It will be obvious that a pin or other means may be used in place of the locating dimple 32 if desired. In addition, a projection such as the one designated 34 may be struck inwardly from the metal of the web of the ring to provide an abutment positioned to engage the end of the reinforcing band at the break in the band which is in the direction the locking lever is swung to open it. This insures that the ring does not slide during such movement. If desired, another abutment similar to the one designated 34 may be employed to engage the other end of the reinforcing band 12 at the opposite side of the recess. The abutment 34 also assists in the centering and holding of the locking lever with respect to the recess in installing the ring.

The over-center relationship of the three pivot points provided by rivets 26, 28 and 31 insures that the hidden lever stay closed during handling incident to the shipping and storing of the drum. A wire such as the one shown at 35 may be employed, however, to carry a lead inspection seal 36. The wire passes through a hole 37 in the web of the ring 19 and through a hole 38 provided in the tab portion 30 of the locking lever. The loop is of such a length that it is impossible to swing down the lever far enough to open the container without destroying the inspection seal 36. The opening 38 in the tab portion of the locking lever also may be used to accommodate a hand tool to assist in pulling the locking lever down from its concealed position in the recess back of the locking ring when it is desired to open the container.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination a cylindrical shipping drum having a closed bottom and an open top, and means to close and seal said top, said means comprising a reinforcing band substantially encircling the open end of said drum, a break in the band at one side of said drum, a lid adapted to seat within the open end of the container, said lid having an annular flange adapted to rest on the rim of the drum above said reinforcing band, a metal ring which is substantially U-shaped in cross section having an upper flange which is adapted to seat upon the marginal edge of said lid and a lower flange adapted to engage under the lower marginal edge of said reinforcing band, said ring being split and having the ends thereof overlapping one another, a linkage system interconnecting the respective ends of said split ring, said linkage system including a locking lever, said linkage system disposed to the inside of said locking ring and adapted to fit into the space provided at the break in the reinforcing band, said linkage system adapted to constrict said ring upon the swinging of said locking lever in a plane at right angles to the plane of said locking ring upwardly into a position between the ring and the drum within the recess provided at the break in the reinforcing band, whereby said linkage system, including the locking lever, is protected by said band.

2. In combination, a cylindrical shipping drum having a closed bottom and an open top and means to close and seal said open top, said means comprising a reinforcing band extending substantially all of the way around the rim portion of the drum at the outside thereof so as to leave a break in the band at one side of the drum, a lid, a split ring adapted to embrace said reinforcing band and the marginal edge of said lid when said lid is seated in the top of said drum, a linkage system including a locking lever interconnecting the ends of said split ring, said linkage system disposed to the inside of said locking ring, said ring arranged such that the linkage system is disposed within the recess provided by the break in the reinforcing band, and said linkage system adapted to constrict said ring upon the swinging of said locking lever into said recess, whereby the linkage system in the locked combination is protected by said ring.

3. Closure means for the top of a cylindrical drum, said closure means comprising a reinforcing band substantially encircling the rim of the drum at the outside thereof, a break in said band at one side of said drum, a lid adapted to seat on the rim of said drum, a split ring, said split ring being substantially U-shaped in cross section to provide an upper flange adapted to overhang the marginal edge of said lid, a web portion adapted to embrace the outside of said band and a lower flange adapted to engage the lower marginal edge of said band, and a linkage system adapted to constrict said band, said linkage system comprising a link having one end thereof pivotally connected adjacent to one end of said split ring, a locking lever pivotally connected to the ring adjacent to the opposite end thereof, means pivotally connecting the opposite end of said link to'said locking lever, whereby the locking lever may be swung in a plane at right angles to the plane of said ring to draw the ends of the split ring into overlapping relationship thereby constricting the band, and said linkage system being disposed at the inside of said'locking ring and within the recess provided by the break in said band whereby said linkage system is protected by the web portion of said ring.

4. In a drum construction having a lid and a split ring adapted to be constricted to closeand seal said lid, a reinforcing band extending around the upper end of the drum at the outside thereof, said band having a break therein, said ring adapted to be engaged over the upper end of said drum to enclose said band, a linkage system joining the ends of said split ring at the inside thereof, said system including a locking lever adapted to constrict said band upon the swinging of said locking lever in a plane at right angles to the plane of said band, and said ring disposed with said linkage system in the recess provided by the break in said band, whereby the locking lever may be swung into said recess to be protected upon the constriction of said ring.

5. In a fiber drum construction having a lid and a split ring adapted to be constricted to close and seal said lid, a fiber reinforcing band secured to the outside of said drum adjacent to the rim thereof, said band having a break therein, said ring adapted to be engaged over the upper end of said drum to embrace said band, a linkage system including a locking lever adapted to constrict said band upon the swinging of said locking lever and said ring disposed with said linkage system in the recess provided by the break in said band.

6. Locking means for the lid of a drum construction, said means comprising a split ring, a reinforcing band extending around the upper end of the drumat the outside thereof, said band having a break therein to provide a recess, said ring adapted to be engaged over the upper end of said drum to enclose the band, a linkage system including a locking lever adapted to constrict said band upon the swinging of said locking lever into a position of approximate alignment with the ring, said ring disposed with said linkage system in said recess, whereby the locking lever may be swung into said recess to be protected upon the constriction of said ring.

No references cited. 

